A Smile and A Gun
by YoshiKeroshin
Summary: Al Capone: “You can go a long way with a smile. You can go a lot farther with a smile and a gun.” Description Within.
1. Prologue

A Smile and A Gun

Disclaimer: I do not own Batman or any other characters they are property of DC Comics.

I do own Alice and non-familiar characters, any similarities with these characters to anyone in real life is merely a coincidence.

Description: Al Capone: "You can go a long way with a smile. You can go a lot father with a smile and a gun." Alice Payne has a job that takes her all over the world, but when she gets assigned to take on organized crime in her home town, Gotham City, her life is changed forever.

A/N: Hello, this is my first fanfiction, it starts out kinda slow but so do most prologues. This does take place during The Dark Knight and the Joker will be showing up in either chapter one or two. I would really like it if anyone reading this would leave a review, constructive criticism would be great. Let me know if you see any errors too. I'm probably going to post again either Friday night or Saturday sometime. I know how I want this to end but I'm not sure what to put in the middle, so if you have suggestions of where you would like this to go just let me know. Thanks and hope you enjoy :)

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Prologue

Getting off the plane at Gotham City's Airport is always interesting on any of my journeys, at that exact moment I become myself, Alice Payne though it is rather hard to define who Alice Payne really is. To any of my friends I would have just gotten back from a consulting job in some far off nation for some obscure company that they've never heard of. However, that's a lie, my life is full of lies and deception, and it's been that way since my first year at Gotham University.

My freshman year at college, that's when I got a job that wasn't at some coffee shop or restaurant. The job description was for someone who had multilingual experience and enjoyed travel, well that fit me, and the starting pay was great and would give me enough cash to eat actual food and not instant noodles for the next four years of my life.

During High School, my parents insisted that I broaden my horizons and take some worldly classes, so I took some foreign language classes, can't get more worldly than that, looks great on a college application too. At first I started with German, and I loved it, language really engaged me. What other classes can you learn to insult your teachers, and they have no idea what the hell you're saying. I was hooked. Once I got a handle on German, I added on French, then Spanish, then Russian, and finally Chinese. The Chinese wasn't really my idea, but my dad kept saying something about China taking over the world, so I decided I better start studying for that now.

My family wasn't really the richest in Gotham, so speaking the language, hanging out with foreign exchange students, and reading books was about the closest I could get to traveling the world. That all changed when I got to college and was looking though the jobs section newspaper and saw that job description.

There was only one problem with the description, it wasn't all there, there was far more to the job than I thought. I didn't really think about it, even though the description didn't say at all what you would be doing for them, but I know it did have something to do with traveling. So I applied anyways.

Looking back now, I wonder if I hadn't accepted the job if I would actually been a real consultant, but I did accept the job. And despite anything anyone thinks of me most of them would never guess that a blond girl like me could ever be a spy.

Being a spy isn't all its cracked up to be, yeah there is glamor and deception and danger, the truth is though it's hard to be a different person every week, not that I don't enjoy being a spy I love my job. I guess it's just one of those jobs that makes you really think about your life and everyone you love and who you really are. Mistakes in the kinda job don't really give you a second chance, you screw up your life is no longer in your hands. It's a lot of pressure but I think I handle it well. Lying becomes second nature. There is no one in the entire world that knows everything about me, not one person.

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Today was like any other day that I had when I got off the plane. Today I headed through Gate 15C, walked past security, and when over to wait for my luggage to come around the conveyor, I picked up my small suit case, and headed out to my little blue car in long term parking. I found my keys that were in my carry on backpack, threw my luggage in my trunk. Hopping in the driver's seat, rolled down the window, cranked the radio, and made my way to the highway that led to Headquarters.

I heard my phone stop ringing just as a song finished; picking it up I saw that I had missed 3 calls from my boss, Kevin Reynolds. Kevin is a nice guy don't get me wrong but being a boss in this kind of work, he never really gets close to anyone. He's tall and mysterious, and he looks way to old for his age. I started to dial his number when I got a text. It was from Kevin: alice meet 325 s row in 10.

I took the next right, heading towards downtown Gotham and Row St. I'd never been there before but I had heard about it from a co-worker one time. Anyone who was about the have a mission that was close to Gotham would meet there in case someone was watching Headquarters.

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About a block away I parked my car. I undid my blond hair from the bun it was, it fell down and my shoulder on one side and was just down about the middle of my back on the other, I put on some sunglasses and my blunt bangs fell just a little over the top of them. I grabbed my backpack and made my way to 325.

I flipped my hair around just as I got to the little apartment, looking at my watch I saw that I had one minuet left. The apartment looked a little old but it looked like it was still in good shape I walked up the five steps and knocked on the door two times.

The door opened and I stepped in.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Batman or any recognizable characters; they are property of DC Comics. I do own Alice and other original characters, any similarities are merely coincidence.

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Kevin Renolds was staring at me waiting for my reply, as we sat at the kitchen table in the small shabby apartment. The sun was shining through the curtains and there were a few clouds here and there that I could see from the top floor. I though for a second more and said, "My mission was successful, I wouldn't exactly call it fun Kevin."

"Wonderful," he said smiling at me with two rows of perfect teeth, "onto new business." Kevin reached down to his side and picked up a manila folder from his square warn briefcase. Sitting back up, he lowered his gaze a little shadowing his facial features making his handsome feature look malicious. "You have by now figured out that your next assignment will be here in Gotham City."

I shifted a little in my chair, and was paying attention to every syllable Kevin uttered, I was tired from my flight but I knew I probably wouldn't be getting a nap anytime soon.

I knew I would have a mission that was going to be close to home but I had no idea I would be working right in Gotham. This I viewed as good and bad, I mean I know I'm no Bruce Wayne and don't know everyone in the city, and not everyone knows me, but it would be extremely awkward running into any of my friends or my parents while on the job.

"You grew up here Alice, I'm sure you are familiar with the organized crime here."

"Of course," I was becoming more nervous and anxious to find out what my assignment was actually going to be, Kevin flipped through some papers in the folder. Kevin paused and thought about what he was going to say, his cool grey eyes looked up at me.

"There is going to be a meeting," he glanced at his expensive watch, it was 2:17 PM, "in about an hour and forty-five minuets, between all of the mob bosses in Gotham, and your going to be there, well not you but Anya Berzin from Russia." Kevin closed the manila folder, got up and walked around the table, "They will be expecting you." He handed me the folder, and I quickly stowed it in my backpack that was on the table. "That folder has all of the details you will be needing, good thing you're a quick study, we want you to keep your ears open at the meeting scope it out for us." Kevin paused again and head back over to his seat at the other side of the table and slouched down into it. "We've been trying to get someone in there for months Alice, and the committee decided you were the best one for this job, we don't know how long your going to be in, or what exactly what we want you to do yet. You will be reporting back to us with the information you receive tonight and we will update you on what action we want you or don't want you to take."

I got up from the table, "I'll be in contact." I made me way back to my little blue car, keeping a fast pace. This wasn't going to be too bad, it was actually probably one of the easier assignments I've had, the only twist being that it was in Gotham City.

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When I got back to my car, I opened the manila folder and flipped through some of the pages. Turns out none of the mob guys have actually ever met Anya Berzin, so they had no idea what she looked like or anything else about her. Anya was born in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1986 on April 1st, so it only made her about a year older than me. Shortly after she was born her family moved to Kiev in the Ukraine for about a year, and then moved to Moscow, and that's we she had been ever since. The real Anya is currently being detained somewhere in Europe, that page didn't have much else on it of importance. In the folder I also found her passport, and another id as well as a few credit cards.

Setting to folder back in my backpack I decided I should find a hotel to stay at. I couldn't exactly stay at my apartment across town. Making a u-turn and heading towards the address where the mod meeting was taking place I kept my eyes open for a hotel that I could stay at until I found out how long Anya Berzin would need to be in Gotham.

* * *

This hotel wasn't the best place I could have picked to stay in Gotham City. It was clean and not completely run down so that's all that really mattered to me. I'd used Anya's credit card to get a business suite. I had a little over an hour left when I got to my room on the third floor. I tossed my backpack and suitcase on the bed. After examining the room for anything that I wouldn't want to be there, I jumped on the single bed face down, the comforter smelt like it hadn't been washed in ages, and the TV looked like the last person to stay here tried to break it. I don't think I've ever been in a place where I have ever felt so far from home, even though just a half an hour drive could get me to my parents' house and my old high school.

I flipped over and pulled the manila folder that was sticking out of my backpack towards me so that I could read up a little bit more an Anya. After about twenty minuets of that I had read over everything that was important in Anya's life and decided I should take a quick shower and change my clothes.

The bathroom was average sized for a hotel bathroom, the walls were covered in a shiny tile, and there were surprisingly nice fluffy clean towels sitting right next to the corner shower. After a nice hot shower the mirror was all steamed up so I rubbed my hand across it so I could look at myself. I stared at my reflection with my bright green eyes, my features are rather average and though I'm not strikingly pretty, I don't think I'm that bad looking.

Deciding I should get my hair cut sometime soon I put on some eye makeup and bright red lipstick.

* * *

Thirty minuets, that's how much time I had left, I was starting to get anxious. This assignment seemed so much closer to home than any other that I had ever taken on, and it was. As Kevin had mentioned I grew up in Gotham, I already knew who some of the mob leaders where, it kept me really connected to this case. I knew I couldn't screw this one up, I felt there was more at stake than ever, and it kept a fear in me that I'd never felt before.

I was walking down to my car the strap for my black messenger bag resting on my shoulder; it contained my new passport, id and credit cards. I decided to wear a black pinstriped suit to this occasion, with a white blouse underneath. I also decided to carry my 9mm Glock in shoulder holster, I hoped I would need to use it, but I didn't want to be left defenseless if something bad happened.

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A/N: I just want to thank those of you who did review Sinario and the two anonymous.

Sinario: I don't think my dad really thinks that China is going to take over the world but when he saw that my school was going to be offering Chinese he said that I should take it because it was going to be essential in the future. Thanks for the review :D

And as for the review saying that I copied someone's idea. I did not copy the idea, I truly didn't even know there was another fiction like this until you made that comment, I read the fanfiction and I was greatly surprised at the similarities. However, the plot that I already have planned out is a lot different than MonMaskedAnge's, even though some of the elements are the same. I still consider mine original, and I would never ever copy anyone's idea. Thank you for making me aware of this other fanfiction.

The Joker will defiantly be in the next chapter, but I'm not sure exactly when I'm going to update again, it will be next Friday at the latest. Thank you for reading.

Please review, constructive criticism is greatly appreciated, as well as any questions or errors. Thanks again!


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Batman or any recognizable characters or scenes, particularly in this chapter; they are property of DC Comics or Warner Bros. I do own Alice and other original characters, any similarities are merely coincidence. This is purely for entertainment purposes only.

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I parked my car around the corner from where the mob meeting was taking place. The sun was still high in the sky and traffic was starting to pick up for afternoon rush hour. I walked to the front doors of the restaurant double checking the address; it must have been a pretty hoppin' place back in its hay-day and it had a very classic style. Pushing though the fount doors of the place and stepping onto the red velvety carpet I noticed the bar and the faint smell of cigarette smoke. The place reminded me of a place where some detective might have met a shady informant for questioning in some old movie. There were some elegant wooden tables scattered about with chairs that had seats to match the velvety carpeting.

"Can I be of assistance madam?"

I looked to my right and there stood a man a little taller than me with black hair with some grey starting to show, starring right at me with piercing eyes over his spectacles that were sitting low on his rather large nose. He held an expression that may have scared some people, reminiscent of an old librarian yelling at you for whispering. I took a second to think over his words and stared blankly back at him replying with a slight Russian accent, "Is it looking like I am needing help?"

He gave me a strange look for a second and took a moment to think before taking into account my business like appearance and my accent and then averted his eyes downward slightly avoiding my gaze. I glanced back at the restaurant there was no one dining and looked back at the man who was still not looking at me, "Go to the second door on the right down that hallway." He nodded towards a discreet hallway that was on the far side of the restaurant. I murmured a thank you and headed that way.

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Through the second door on the right I found a sort of preparation room which currently was housing a couple guard-like fellows and a metal detector along with a table that held a various arrangement of guns, knives, and other weapons. So much for bringing along my own weapon, at least I knew no one else would have them either then, or at least hoped.

"Weapons please on the table, then step though the metal detector," said one of the guards, he seemed rather bored with his current job, can't blame him, joining the mob you don't quite expect to be babysitting a metal detector.

I took off my jacket and undid my shoulder holster and set it with care on the table among the rest of the weapons. I stepped though the detector without a hitch and gave the guy a slightly sympathetic look, I knew how it felt to have be given a task that you wouldn't want to do, ever.

I walked through the swinging door that was propped open and was in the kitchen. There were stainless steel appliances and pots and pans all over the stoves and counter tops, currently unused, my shoes clicked lightly on the concrete flooring. There was a rectangular table set up in the room with about ten people sitting at it and a few more just gathered around behind them and they were all staring right at me, it was uncomfortable being in all of their gazes but part of my job description is: extreme discomfort caused by others. I recognized a few of them including Sal Maroni and the Russian mobster whose name I couldn't think of at the moment.

"Ah! Anya Berzin! So glad you finally arrived!" the Russian mobster had gotten up from his seat and was making his way towards me smiling, he had a rather thick Russian accent and European features. I was making my way over to him to shake his hand; he grabbed it and pulled me into a warm embrace.

"Allo," I said rather timidly as he pulled back.

He then proceeded to half drag me over to the table where he was sitting and set me down right beside him. It was at this time that two men came in carrying a television and set it down on the side of the table nearest the door. There was a Chinese looking man on the screen and one of the other mobsters in the room gave a skeptical, "What the hell is this?" It was at this time I realized that many of the men were still staring at me. I lifted up my hand and gave a wave to them then tucked a stray hair behind my ear, and set my hands back down on my crossed legs. That's when we got down to business, and the Russian's attitude seemed to change completely with the mood it was all business now, I think I liked him better this way.

Then the Chinese man on the television was wearing a suit and looking like he was on a private jet of sorts, he began to speak, "As you are all aware one of our deposits was stolen, a relatively small amount, 68 million."

"Who's stupid enough to steal from us?" the Russian inquired.

It was Maroni on the other side of me who replied, "Two-bit whack-job, wears a cheap purple suit and makeup, he not the problem, he's a nobody. The problem is our money being tracked by the cops."

"Thanks to Mr. Maroni's well placed sources we know that the police have indeed identified our banks using marked bills, and are planning to seize your funds and since the enthusiastic new DA had put all my competitors out of business, I'm your only option."

"So what do you propose?" Maroni requested.

The Chinese man quickly replied, "Moving all deposits to one secure location, not a bank."

Across the table a black man in a black suit, Gambol, asked, "Where then?"

"No one can know but me," the Chinese man said curtly and added, "If the police were to gain leverage over one of you, everyone's money would be at stake."

My Russian buddy took a second, then said, "Who'd stop them from getting to you?"

"I go to Hong Kong far from Dent's jurisdiction and the Chinese would not expose one of their own."

"How soon can you move the money?" said Gambol as he sat forward in his chair.

"I already have, for obvious reasons I could not wait for your permission rest assured your money is safe."

A maniacal laughter filled the room and echoed of the walls, it made me jump but I don't think I was alone with that one, it sent chills down my spine, and I set forward in my seat. I looked around to find where the laughter was coming from, as did everyone else, and emerging from around the kitchen equipment was the most peculiar person I've ever seen. He was wearing a strange purple suit and even stranger was his face white as chalk with two black splotches around his eyes which were empty and cold, and a twisted permanent grin that was formed by to jagged scars smudged with red lipstick. His laughter continued as he reached the table said, "And I thought my jokes were bad…"

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A/N: This isn't where I had initially wanted to end, but I can make them better quality reads when they are a little shorter, however then the Joker didn't end up being in it as much as I originally planned :( but he will defiantly be in it a lot more in all the chapters from here on. Also, normally I wouldn't have this much of the scene from the movie in it but I think it's rather essential to this particular story line, but the end of this chapter and the beginning of the next will be the only things directly from the movie hopefully unless I change something in the future of my story line. I do hope I will be able to update sometime next week since I do yet again know exactly what I'm going to be doing in the next chapter, but homecoming is next week for me so its going to be rather crazy.

Thanks again to Sinario for the review and Happy Birthday :D

Please review, and thanks for reading!


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